"I regret that the city of Odessa is in the focus of the news, not because of its beauty and historical significance, but because it is the target of Russian missile and drone attacks," he says.the European Union (EU) foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who today visited the Ukrainian port city of Odessa on the Black Sea.

Borel's Odesa is a beautiful historic city and he believes it should be in the headlines for its vibrant culture and spirit. "Instead, it's in the news for being a frequent target of Putin's war," Borrell shared on the X platform, formerly of Twitter.

"I witnessed the consequences of this war, how Ukraine and Odessa pay a high price for it," he said in a video posted on X.

"This is a good example of how Russia is trying to destroy Ukraine," he added, pointing to the damaged walls inside the Transfiguration Cathedral.

As he toured the cathedral, Borrell called the Russian attack on the city "barbaric."

Odessa's old quarter and the historic Transfiguration Cathedral were badly damaged by Russian bombing in July.

Port infrastructure, which is key to Ukraine's grain exports, has also been hit in recent attacks.

Borel noted that a year has passed since Russia's illegal annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. He also mentioned the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.